Hot metal valve for ladles and the like



July 5, 1960 MURARSHEED 2,943,370

HOT METAL VALVE FOR LADLES AND THE LIKE Filed May 9, 1958 I 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 15M urarsheed ATTORNEY.

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July 5, 1960 1.. MURARSHEED HOT METAL VALVE FOR LADLES AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1958 INVENTOR L dfeef M wars/ 1 PeaATTORNEY.

United States Patent HOT METAL VALVE FOR LADLES AND THE LIKE LateefMurarsheed, 1423 N. Gray St., Youngstown, Ohio Filed May 9, 1958, Ser.No. 734,283

2 Claims. (Cl. 22-84) This invention relates to a hot metal valve andmore particularly to a valve for use in the bottom of a ladle used inhandling molten iron and steel.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a hot metalvalve incorporating a slide valve element in a valve body that may bepositioned in the bottom of a hot metal ladle to control the flow ofmetal therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a hot metalvalve comprising a refractory body member having a valve elementreceiving chamber therein and means for directing a gas into saidchamber.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a hot metalvalve including a multiple part valve body enclosing a slidable valveelement and defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber and apassageway therebetween controlled by said sliding valve element.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of :a hot metalvalve that may be formed of refractory material and used as an elementin the refractory lining of a hot metal ladle.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a hot metalvalve for a ladle or the like including a valve element and means formoving said valve element.

The hot metal valve disclosed herein comprises an improvement in the artrelating to metal pouring and particularly with respect to controllingthe pouring opening of a ladle. It has heretofore been common practiceto provide a vertically positioned stopper rod arranged to be movableinto an out of the pouring opening. The stopper rod frequently fails toregister with the pouring opening so that a running stopper is acommonplace occurrence. This waste and danger is eliminated by the useof the hot metal valve disclosed herein. The valve is so designed thatit functions without failure and prevents the loss and damage heretoforebelieved necessary.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a prospective view of several portions of the valve.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the portions of the hot metal valve shownin Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the complete hot metal valve.

Figure *4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a ladle showing the hot metal valve inposition therein.

Figure 6 is a vertical section on line 66 of Figure 5.

By referring to the drawing and Figure 1 in particular r 2,943,370Patented "July 5,

it will be seen that a valve body 10 is disclosed which is of a size andshape defining a valve cavity 11' therein in which a valve element 12 isslideably positioned. The valve element 12 is provided with a bifurcatedfront portion defining projecting extensions 13 and 14 which are adaptedto register respectively with an. inlet area 15 in the cavity 11 and anoutlet area 16 therein. The outlet area 16' communicates with averticalp'assageway 17 extending through the bottom of the.;va1ve body10.

The valve element 12 has an elongated opening 18 therein near itsopposite end. An upwardly projecting portion 19 of an actuating member20 is engaged in the opening 18 in the valve element 12 and the member20' is movably positioned in the valve body 10 and enclosed therein by atop 21 as seen in Figures 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

The top 21 has a vertical opening 22 therein which communicates with theinlet chamber 15 in the valve body 10 as heretofore referred to.

The valve body 10 has a plurality of passageways 23- 23 therein adaptedto convey gas from one portion thereof to another so that fluid metal inthe valve body may be moved therefrom by said gas. The valve body 10,valve element 11 and top member 21 are adapted to be positioned in thebottom portion of a hot metal ladle 24 as seen in Figures 5 and 6 of thedrawings wherein the same forms a portion of the refractory lining ofthe ladle portions thereof which are indicated by the numerals 25--25.

The passageway 17 registers with the outlet opening 26 in the ladle 24so that molten metal in the ladle 24 will enter the opening 22; theinlet chamber 15 and flow into the outlet chamber 16 through thepassageway 17 and the opening 26 when the valve element 12 is in openposition as shown in the drawings.

In order that the valve element 12 may be moved between open and closedpositions in the valve body 10 means is provided on the exterior of thehot metal ladle 24 for imparting motion to the member 20. As disclosedin Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings said means comprises a pneumaticpiston and cylinder assembly 27 which is positioned in an enclosure 28and which enclosure 28 is preferably sealed with respect to the ladle24. Gas may be introduced into the enclosure 28 as by a tube 29 fromwhence it will flow through an opening 30 in the ladle 24 and throughwhich opening the member 20 extends.

The gas thereafter follows the passageways defined by the cavity 11around the exterior of the valve element 12 and may also flow throughthe passageways 23-23- so that at such time as the valve element 12 isclosed the gas will force the hot metal outwardly through the passageway17. When the valve element 12 is opened the gas will prevent the hotmetal from flowing around the valve element 12 in the cavity 11.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that the size and shape of thehot metal valve disclosed herein may be varied and the valve element 12may be formed of more than one part of refractory material and mayinclude a metal core as desired. The means for moving the valve element12 may also comprise various mechanisms other than the piston andcylinder assembly herein disclosed. It will thus be seen that the hotmetal valve disclosed herein meets the several objects of the inventionand having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A hot metal valve comprising a body member of refractory materialhaving a Y-shaped flat bottomed cavity therein open to the upper surfacethereof, a flat Y-shaped valve element of refractory material includinga stem portion and two arm portions slidably positioned in said cavityin said body member and movable into and away from the bifurcatedportion of said Y-shaped cavity, .said valve element having an openingin said stem portion thereof, a member disposed in said valve body andmovable with respect thereto and engaged in said opening and extendingexteriorly of said valve body,"a flat topmember of refractory materialpositioned on said valve body and forming a closure with respect to saidcavity and having an opening therein directly above and communicatingwith one of the arm portions of said Y-shaped cavity, said valve bodymember having an opening therethrough directly below and communicatingwith the other of the arm portions of said Y-shaped cavity.

4 2. The hot metal valve set forth in claim 1 and wherein one of thebifurcated portions of said Y-shaped valve element is longer than theother.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS311,902 Lewis Feb. 10, 1885 1,753,276 Quinn et al. Apr. 8, 19301,995,941 Pugh Mar. 26, 1935 2,016,579 Sage Oct. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS165,295 Austria Feb. 10, 1950

